Circular knitting machine



Jan.1o,1939. M NEBEL 2,143,630

` CIRCULAR KmTTmeMAcHmE Original Filed May 23, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. l0, 1939. 1 M. NEBEL 2,143,630

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE original Filed May 2:5, 1.934 4 lsheets-sheen; 2

M. NEBEL CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed May 25, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 .7n venror Jan. 1o, 1939. M. NBEL 2,143,630

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed May 23, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Max Nebel, Chemnitz, Germany original application' May 23, 1934, serial No. 727,071. Divided and this application April 22, 1937, Serial No. 138,577

4 17 Claims.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines of the kind described in my co-pending application Ser. No. 727,071, led May 23, 1934, now Patent No. 2,080,377, and whereof this application is a division, wherein for the production of loop-plush fabric having plush loops tied in above every, or any desired, sinker loop of the fabric ora portion thereof the ground thread is separated from the plush thread by the motion of the sinkers towards the bulging portion of the needle shank and into operative position or by the equally directed motion of special means, and wherein the separating part, such as the point, is 4pushed prior to sinking above the casting-01T throat of the sinker between the two threads to insure their proper separation.

To increase the reliability of separation, particularly at the beginning of a course, i. e., when operating with pendulum motion, the ground thread, which in known manner issues at a lower level from the thread guide than the plush thread, yis guided, according to the invention, by a second guide positioned laterally of the center of the thread guide bracket and so low that the ground thread issues from the eye just above and in front of the separating point of that sinker which is just about to pass into separating and sinking position. To make possible this position of the thread guide in any direction of. operation during pendulum motion the thread guide, at each change of direction, is brought into the position beside the sinker happening to move into the working position. This can be most advantageously attained by horizontal displacement of the point of issue. The thread guide is for instance disposed so as to be laterally movable in the horizontal plane in such manner that in any direction of working the point of issue of the ground thread is always located towards the sinking needle barely above and. infront of the separating point of that sinker which ls' just about to move radially in the direction of the machine axis into separating and sinking position. The ground thread is thus invariably guided at that point where separation is effected by the point of the preceding y sinker. This elimirr tes the possibility of throwing up the ground t read, which hitherto is unguided at the point of separation, so high by vibrations due to operation of the machine that it rises above the separating point and thus onto the plush throat serving for sinking the-plush thread. In -the construction according to my co-pending application it may also occur that, owing to the necessity of placing the issuing point for the ground thread quite low and at a consid- (Cl. (i6-93) erable .distance from the sinking needle, the ground thread engages the jointof the latch and is cut when the latch closes. By providing, according to the present invention, that the thread issuing point in any direction of operation is posi- 5 tioned close to the sinking needle, misplacing of the thread and the troubles produced thereby are eliminated.

This additional lower guiding of the thread is effected. according to the invention, by a plate which may be arranged on the surface of the sinker cam ring so as to be oscillatable about a vertical axis. The motion of the plate is produced by the known short swinging motion of the cam ring during reversal of the rotary motion of the sinker ring, when the plate is firmly arranged i on the cam ring, so that the vertical axis about which the plate oscillates coincides with the axis Aof rotation of the needle and sinker cylinders. If the oscillation of the cam ring is not great enough to insure, for instance at pendulum motion, that aneye in the thread plate is disposed `in both directions of working directly in front of and above thc sinker moving into sinking and separating position, an elongated slot is provided in the thread plate through which the thread passes and which is positioned as closely as possible to the needles and extends `parallel and circularly to the needle carrier. A change in the direction of operation involves also a change of the thread from one end of the slot to the other. Theslot ls so long that after oscillation of the cam ring and of the thread plate carried by it the slot end concerned is always positioned directly above and in front of the separating sinker passing into sinking position. The arrangement of this thread guide plate on the cam ring facilitates also the laying' out of the thread guided by it, since the thread plate can be rendered inoperative by being swung in lateral direction about a firm pivot disposed 40 parallel to the axis of rotation of the needle ring on the cam ring to such an extent that the thread extends over and beyond the lowest needle towards the thread brake inthe center ofthe cylinder. Y y If for any reasons instead of a slot a circular eye is wanted in the thread plate, 4the insuiilcient motion of the plate must be increased, according to the invention, by additional motion of the plate relative to the cam ring during the oscillation of 50 the latter. This is effected by means of two laterally adjustable pins on the fixed thread guide bracket, between which the end crine .thread f plate averted from the needle 'carrierlprojects in tion of the cam ring the end of the thread plate abuts against one of the pins and, according to the distance of this pin from the central axis of the thread guide bracket, imparts to the thread guide the necessary additional swinging motion about its pivot on the cam ring. To protect the thread plate against unintentional motion by thread tension stops are provided on the cam ring at the point where the outer lateral edge of the thread plate is positioned.

` This doubly oscillatable thread plate like the slotted one iixed to the cam ring may be rendered inoperative by lateral oscillation, and like the slotted one it is then laterally swung out in the direction of normal rotation of the sinker ring pin longitudinally displaceable in this direction and' positioned at the edgefof the lthread plate facing `it to such an extent that the thread exw,

tending from the eye to the thread brake located in the center of the machine passes over the needle that is in sinkingposition or almost so. To make practically surethat the laid out thread is not caught by any loop-j'forming tool the thread Vplate when swinging into inoperative position moves over an inclined 'face on the top of the cam ring and is thus elevated more or less corresponding to the height of the inclined face.

In another embodiment of the invention the thread plate is not swingably arranged von'the surface of the cam ring; but on the lower face of the thread guide bracket. The swinging pins are secured to the camv ring instead of to the bracket.

With respect vto the known thread guides which for the production of circularly knit and not narrowed two threaded loop-plush fabric possess an issuing point for the ground thread disposed at a lower level than the issuing point for the plush thread it is also known to cause the plush thread to issue from a horizontal slot in a guide whilst the ground thread issues from a round eye arranged under the middle of the slot from which the plush thread issues. This construction, however, fails to attain the object of the invention according to which it is of essential importance to guide also the ground thread close tothe separating point of .thesinker just about to move into separatingand sinking position. In the known arrangement, wherein the plush thread issues from an eye arranged at a lower level and xedas to position, itfs still possible, particularly during reversal in to andvfro knitting, that on the top ofthe cam ring;

the constantly oscillated long thread portion lo cated. between the sinkingA point andthe eye is accidentally thrown on the sinking throat or edge lof the plush thread, whereby long ground loops producing waste are formed.

By way of example, several embodiments of the'invention are illustrated in the accompany l ing drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of the cam 'ring with sinkers and needles and the slotted thread plate ring andneedle carrier flattened out; v l

Fig. 3, a top view of the cam'ring with sinkers,` needles and the oscillatable thread plate onf'the top of the cam ring;

Fig. 4, a. section on the line- IV--IV, of Fig. 3,

.through the end of the'thread plate subjected tc ,the action of the swinging bolts;

Fig. 5, a view of thethread guide bracket sinkers and needles, seen from the axis of rotation, with the sinker ring and needle carrier flattened out;

Fig. 6, a sectional side view of the loop forming tools on the line VI-V'L of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7, a partial top view of the cam ring with sinkers and needles and with the thread plate in inoperative position;

Fig. 8, a partial top view like that shown in Fig. 7, but seen from the front, i. e., from the axis of rotation of the machine;

Fig. 9,`a section on the line lX-IX, of Fig. 7, of the thread plate;

Fig. 10, a front view of the thread guide bracket, seen from the axis of rotation of the machine, with the thread plate oscillatably disposed on the thread guide bracket;

Fig. 11, a partial top view of the construction shown in Fig. 10; and

"\ Fig. l2, a side view of the loop forming tools with thread plate,'according to Fig. 10, and in the position shown i`n Fig. 7.

In the drawings only those parts have been illustrated which must be shown in order to enable a person skilled in the art to understand my invention.

Referring to the drawings, the sinkers I and the needles 2 are arranged in sinker and needle rings, not shown, so as to be displaceable either radially or in the direction of the axis of rotation. The needles are moved into and out of operating positions by the rotation of the needle ring about the axis 0 of the machine effected by means of the lock, not shown. The sinkers l are radially moved by the fixed cam ring 3 by means of curves provided on the lower edge thereof. The curves v4 indicated by dot and dash lines are independent of the other curves but also capable of moving the sinkers in known manner into separating and sinking position. In 4the center of the machine a thread brake 5 of known type is provided for clamping the threads. laid out. Old in the art is further| the segment 6 screwed onto the cam ring 3 and having two arms 6a, 6b into which set screws 1a, 'lb are screwed winch strike against the abutment 8 on the machine frame, according to the direction of operation of the sinker ring. Upon a change of the operating direction, for instance whenY knitting the heel and toe by pendulum movement, the cam ring, at the moment of reversal, carries out in known manner a short rotary motion `about the axis of the machine until they screw 1a or 'lb strikes the abutment 8. In Fig. 1, the direction of operation of the sinker ring and needle carrier Ais indicated b the arrow A, which is the normal direction o rotation for cicular knitting. In the position indicated by full lines the segment 6 with the arms 6a, 6b is in contact with the abutment 8'. When during pendulummovement the operating directionA changes to B, the camring carries out a small-rotary motion at the moment of reversal vuntil the, set screw'l strikes the abutment 8. 'I'his position of the arms 6 and 6b with the cam 3 in operating direction B is shown by dot and dash lines 'in' Figs. land 3.

The oscillation of the cam ring' 3 during a change lin operating direction is.l utilized, accord- 'y ing to the invention, for bringing an-additional 'thread guide arranged at -a particularly vlow level into a position most favorable for feding'the thread during each operating motion A or B.

For this purpose, the am' ring 'alv is provided with' a thread plate 40 iixedpthereto', Fig. 1, which ends near the needlercarrier 'and which has a' sinking and separating position is located directly above and in front of the separating vpoint of that sinker just about to move toward the center of the needle carrier and into separating and sinking position.

According to Fig. 1, the needle cylinder moves in the direction'A. The sinker Ih has just engaged the auxiliary cam 4 and thus moves toward the center and into separating and sinking position. Above and in front of the separating point 26 of this sinker Ih one end of the slot 40B, Figs. 1 and 2, is located. When the needle carrier moves in the other operating direction B, the cam ring 3 partakes in this motion until the arm 6a or its set screw 'I abuts against the stop 9, as indicated by the dot and dash line B1. The thread plate 40 with the cam ring 3 will then be in the position 40B, indicated by dot and dash line, and the end of the slot 40B disposed in this operating direction will be located. in front of and above the separating point of the sinker Ixr beginning in this direction with the sinking and separating motion. For laying out the ground 4thread I2 guided by the thread plate 40, the latter, which for this purpose can be oscillated about a fixed pin II on the cam ring 3, is brought into inoperative position 40X indicated by dots by means of a slide I9 on the thread guide bracket and of a pin I9 secured to the slide I9. A spring 42 which moves with the thread plate 40 presses it upon the cam ring 3. A spiral spring M vfixed at 43 to the cam ring 3 constantly draws the plate 40 against the fixed stop 45, whereby unintentional motion of the plate 40 relative to the cam ring 3 is prevented. The bent up edge 40 on one side of the vplate 40 is engaged by the pin i9 which presses the plate into inoperative position, Fig. 2. To guide in inoperative position the ground thread I2, guided 'by the plate III, as highly as possible over the needles and sinkers, the plate is pressed up by an inclined plane 20 secured by thescrews 2l to the cam ring 3. The edge 40 of the plate 40, which engages the inclined plane 20, is somewhat flanged to prevent excessive wear.A The length of the slot I in the plate 40 corresponds to the degree of oscillation carried out by the cam ring 3 during change of direction, which can be adjusted by the set screws 'I and 1b.

If this adiustability occurs within larger limits, the ends ofthe slot Illa will not be exactly located any more in the intended position relative to the sinkers Ih or Ix moving into separating and sinking position. 'Io eliminate this drawback and to meet the possible requirement of guiding the thread in a circular eye corresponding to its cross section, the invention provides the necessary greater oscillation of such an eye than produced by the oscillation of the cam ring 3 by additional oscillation of the plate 40 relative to the cam ring 3.' In order to attain this effect 'a thread plate 9 is provided on the cam ring '3 and can swing about a pivot III scre'wed into the ring 3,V

5 and 6, is guided again at as low a level aspos sible. Since the relatively low thread plate 9, as indicated particularly in Fig. 6, rests on the surface of the cam ring 3 and this'surface is only at a slightly higher level than the point 26 of the sinker I, which separates the ground thread I2 from the plush thread Il, the issuing vpoint of the ground thread I2 from the eye 9'l is also located closely above the separating point 26 of the sinker I. If in other types of circular' knitting machines the surfaceof the cam ring 3 lies much higher than the point 26, the thread plate 9, in accordance with the invention, will be bent down in such manner that the thread I2 issues just above the point 26. On the other hand, if the surface of the cam ring 3 is at a lowerlevel than the point 26, the plate 9 vwill be.

correspondingly turned up at its front end.' This applies also to the slotted thread plate 40.

. The thread plate 9 is oscillatorily arranged on the cam ring 3 to insure issuing of the ground thread I2 from its eye always just in front of solid lines, so that the eye 9a thereof delivers the` ground thread I2 directly beside the sinker Ih just starting its sinking motion and above the point 26. The associated needle 2g is on its way to descend into sinking position. This position of the thread plate 9 is required according to the invention, if the operating motion occurs in the direction of the arrow A, Fig. 3, which is the normal position for knitting tubular fabrics. -For example, if the heel of a stocking is to be knitted, for which operation Fig. 5 shows the necessary arrangement, only about one-half of the needles 2 are used for looping (cf. Figs. 3 and 5) and the needle and sinker rings constantly swing to and fro from A to B. The other needles, such as 2a, 224 etc., are eliminated at their highest position. When motion is reversed from A to B, the cam ring 3, to the extent permitted by the set screw la or 1b, is also driven for a short distance, so that the plate 9 is swung aboutthe axis 0 of the machine. Besides oscillating about the axis II, the plate 9 carries out an oscillation relative to the cam ring 3, since the end ilb of the plate 9 during its oscillation with the cam ring 3 abuts against a. pin I5n which is disposed on the fixed thread guide bracket I6. The pin I5 is laterally arranged in such manner that, due to the relative motion of the plate 9 about the pin I0 effected by it, the eye ila in the new operating direction B is located just above the separating point 26 and at the side of the sinker I" which inthis case starts its sinking motion. This position of the thread plate 9 is shown in dot and dash lines in Figs. 3 and 5, whilst the sinkers in Fig. 3 are shown so as they are located when operating in the direction A. Upon a change in operating direction from B` to A, a pin' lib on the thread guide bracket I6 acts upon the end Sib of the thread plate 9. To make sure that the pins I5 and I5b safely grip the end of the plate 9, the edges thereof are bent up (Fig. 4). To permit accurate adjustment of the thread plates 40 and 9 in oscillating position and variation of the amount of oscillation the pins I5EL and I5b are arranged for lateral displacement in slots I6, I6b of the thread guide bracket I6. Displacement of the thread plate 9 when in the position indicated by dots and dashes, i. e., the position for the operating direction B, by the pull of the thread is prevented by an adjustable pin I1 screwed onto the cam ring 3.

For laying out the thread I2 the thread plate 9 is brought into inoperative positionaccording to Fig. 7 by the Vpin I8, like the plate 40 shown in Fig. 1, the pin acting upon the slide I9 on the thread guide bracket I6, Figs. 3 and 6. The slide I9 is automatically actuated and usually, as shown in Fig. 3, laterally drawn out to such an extent that the pin I8 cannot act upon the thread plate 9. By being swung into inoperative position according to Fig. 'l the plate 9 is pushed upon the inclined plane 20 and thereby somewhat raised, so that the ground thread I2 issuing from its eye 9b and extending in the direction of the thread brake 5 moves above the needle 2c, which has almost attained that position in which the sinking operation is performed, and the sinker Ic at a higher` level than when the ground thread is in active position. The inclined plane 20 is fastened with screws 2l to the cam ring 3. The beginning of this inclined plane, like the pin I1 in the other operating position of the plate 9, serves when the plate 9 is in position for operating in the direction A as stop to prevent unintentional displacement of the plate 9 by the pull of the thread during working. To protect the edge of the plate 9 ascending the inclined plane 20 and the edge on which the pin I8 acts against too rapid wear the edges are bent up. Fig. 8 shows interfering with the ground thread, slide freely' from one corner into the other on the thread guide bracket, as the machine performs the pendulum movement, because the ground thread is conducted to its thread guides 9, 3l) or 40 at the rear of the front ltransverse bar.

In order to prevent damage to the needles, resulting for instance in failure of the latches to move, the front edges ofthe thread plate 9 arel bevelled, as shown in Fig. 9.

It is further within the meaning of the invention to fulcrum the thread plate to the xed thread guide bracket I6, as indicated in Figs. 10, 11 and 12. The pin 3| about vwhich the thread plate 30 with the eye 30 oscillates, is secured to the rear bar ISc of the bracket I6. The front end of the thread plate 30 is so reinforced or so bent down that the thread issuing point is located just above thc point 26 of the sinker I. A spring 32 partaking in the oscillation of the plate about the pin 3l presses the plate 30against the lower face of the bracket I6. The pins 33, 33h effecting oscillation of the plate 30 are secured to the cam ring 3. The pin I8 with the slide I9 which brings the plate 9 into inoperative position is arranged-on the bracket I6. Lifting of the thread plate when being moved out of operative position can be advantageously eiected by providing the lateral portion 30d of the lower edge of the bracket I 6 in known manner with a slight upward slope, as indicated in Fig. 10. For better guiding of the ground thread a horizontal eye 3II'J is disposed in front of the issuing eye 3|! on the surface of the thread plate 30. As Fig. 10 shows, the thread plate 30 preferably is bent down in troughlike fashion, has a semicircular front end (Fig. 11) and is bevelled on the sides 30 t0 protect the needle latches.

To solve the problem with which the invention is concerned in the simplest manner without any oscillation of the additional thread guide, the thread'plate` 30 larranged on the thread guide bracket may also be fixed so as not to be movable during change in operation. It may have a slot for guiding the thread, and this slot is so long that its ends are as near-as practicable to the issuing point from the auxiliary thread guide so as to attain the result eiected by the abovedescribed additional oscillation.

To make possible laying out of the thread such a slotted thread plate 30 may also be swung about a xed pivot in the thread guide bracket by a slide or similar means against the pull of a spiral spring which may be arranged in a manner similar to that associated with the slotted thread plate arranged on the cam ring according to Fig. 1. The upward slope on the lower edge of the thread guide bracket, as shown in Fig. 10, takes care of the necessary raising of the guide slot.

The thread guided by the thread plates 9 or 30 is always the ground thread for the heel and toe of a stocking, i. e., always that ground thread which is used when the machine moves alternately in opposite directions. By designing and operating the thread plate according to the invention the reliability of `the separation of the ground thread from the plush thread is increased to such a degree that the failure to form plush loops, particularly at the points where the fabric is narrowed, is practically eliminated because the position of the ground thread can be accurately determined by positioning the issuing eye directly at the side of that sinker which moves into the separating and sinking position.

I claim:

1. Circular knitting machinefor producing loop-plush fabric with plush loops above every, or every desired, sinker loop, wherein separation of the ground thread from the plush thread is effected by the movement of the sinkers toward the bulging portion of the needle shank and into operating position, or by the similarly directed motion of special means so as to cause for the purpose Voi reliable separation of both threads prior to sinking the separating member, such as the point, to move above the casting-01T throat of the sinkers between the two threads, and where- ,in the ground thread issues at a lower level than the plush thread from the thread-guiding tool, characterized in that under the regular thread guide a second guide for the ground thread is disposed laterally of the center of the thread guide bracket and at so low a level that the ground thread issues from the eye just above and in front of the separating point of that sinker which is about to move into the thread separating and sinking position.

2. Circular knitting machine according tov claim 1, wherein the second guide for the ground thread, oscillatable in a horizontal plane, is always moved into the new operating' position in that direction, in which the needle carrier and the sinker ring rotate or, at a change in direction,

in which the cam ring is swung.

4. Circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the second guide for the ground.

claim 1, wherein the second thread guide is oscillatable in a horizontal plane and provided with a thread-guiding slot which extends parallel to the needle carrier and is so longthat the end of the slot extending in operating direction is always located in front of and above the point 26 of the sinker il or Iw passing into separating and sinking position.

6. Circular knitting machineaccording to claim 1, wherein the ground thread guided by the lower thread guide is laterally laid out by oscillation of the lower thread guide to such an extent that the ground' thread extends above the lowest sinking needle toward the thread brake.

7. Circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the ground thread guided by the lower thread guide is laterally laid out by oscillation of the lower thread guideto su'ch an extent that the ground thread extends above the lowest sinking needle toward the thread brake and wherein the lower thread guide 40 is arranged on the cam ring 3 so as to be oscillatable about a pin 4I and can be laterally swung out of operating position by a pin I8 on a slide I9 disposed in the superposed thread guide bracket so that the ground thread I2 is laid out whilst a spring 44 which at nonaction of the slide I9 draws thethread guide 40 constructed as flat plate against an abutment 45 rmly arranged on the cam ring 3 prevents unintentional oscillation or the lower thread guide when in operating position.

8. Circular knitting machine according' to claim 1, wherein the second lower thread guide 9 having an eye Sis arranged on the surface of ,thesinkercamrlng3soastobehorizonta1ly movable about a pin I Vand at the moment oi' reversal of direction is pressed with its end 9b,

. averted from the needles, owing to the oscillation oftheguidewiththecamring3,againstoneof two pins I5, I-ib which are securedto the thread guide bracket I6 and between which the end 9b extends, so that oscillation of the lower thread guide 9 relative to the cam ring I about its axis orthepin Iltis eiectedtherebyandtheey'e* is brought just above and at the side of the separating point of the sinker about to advance into 10. Circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the second ground thread guide is oscillatable in a. horizontal plane and stop pins ISB, ISb are laterally adjustably screwed to the thread guide bracket I6 for regulating the stroke of the thread plate.

11. Circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the second thread guide is oscillatable in a horizontal plane and an inclined plane 20 is arranged on the cam ring 3 which is ascended by the thread plate or second ground thread guide 9 or 40 when swinging into inoperative position. V

12. Circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the second ground thread guide is oscillatable in a horizontal plane and an inlclined plane is arranged on the cam ring which is ascended. by the second thread guide when swinging into inoperative position and wherein `a pin I1 is provided which secures the thread guide 9 against automatic displacement in the direction of the thread tension if not located at the beginning of the inclined plane 20.

13. Circular knitting machine according to claim l, wherein a second ground thread guide is oscillatable in a horizontal plane and the second thread guide is oscillatorily arranged on the lower surface of the thread guide bracket I6.

14. Circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein a second ground thread guide is oscillatable in a horizontal plane and secured to the lower surface of the thread guide bracket and wherein pins 33B, 33b effecting oscillation of the second thread guide are adjustably disposed on the cam ring 3.

15. Circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the second ground thread guide is oscillatable in a horizontal plane and the second ground thread guide 9 or 3 has its free end bent down or up in such manner that when the surface of the cam ring 3 is at a higher level than the separating point 26 the outlet opening of the thread eye secured to this free end is located just above the point 26 of the 'sinker ih.-

16. Circular knitting machine according to 'claim 1, wherein the second ground thread guide 9 or 30 or 40 is bent down in troughlike fashion and the lateral ,edges thereof abut against the lowerface of the thread guide bracket I6 and in front of' the eye 30h in the trough.

1'7. Circular knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein a second ground thread guide is provided 9 or 30 or 40 whose edge at the end thereof is curved.

MAX NEBEL. 

